Deputy Chief Constable of Thames Valley John Campbell said: “We are engaged in ongoing consultation with the Home Office regarding the funding formula.

“Clearly a reduction in funding of this level would cause us significant concern and impact on our ability to maintain our current levels of service.”

Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey said he believed that ‘Tory cuts to the police on this scale posed a risk to public safety’ while policing minister Mike Penning countered that ‘police reform is working’ saying ‘that there is no question that the police still have the resources to do their important work.’

Former Thames Valley Police chief constable Sara Thornton, who is now chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council caused controversy earlier this year when she suggested that police may not be able to continue attending every burglary in the face of more cuts.

In a statement earlier this week Ms Thornton warned that ‘fundamental changes’ had to be made to the way policing worked in the UK to avoid failing the public.